UFC 306 will be broadcast live from the Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday with one of the biggest fight programs of the year.

It will be a spectacle like no other, as the promotion will put together film packages for each main event.

Saturday is Mexican Independence Day and the main event is the fight between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili.

O’Malley himself is not Mexican, but his wife and daughter are both Mexican, so it’s an indirect way of engaging with his heritage.

However, the majority of the card is made up of Mexican fighters and it should be a very entertaining fight card from start to finish.

The entire preliminary round will be available on the ESPN NEWS network starting at 7:30 p.m. ET before being broadcast on pay-per-view at 10 p.m.

UFC 306 Predictions

Sean O’Malley (-140) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (+118)

It is no exaggeration to say that the UFC absolutely wants and needs to continue the “Sugar Show” even after this huge fight program.

The problem is that O’Malley is not a takedown defender who can really keep up with Merab Dvalishvili on the mat.

The same applies to Dvalishvili, who cannot keep up with O’Malley as a striker.

O’Malley’s grappling is actually underrated here and Dvalishvili’s chin is a little questionable.

Nevertheless, the wrong fighter is preferred here.

Dvalishvili is a cardio machine with tremendous takedown power and has the most takedowns per 15 minutes in UFC history (6.43 takedowns per 15 minutes).

He is in an elite camp and has the best chance of winning this fight thanks to former champion Aljamain Sterling, who ran a terrible game plan in their fight.

Sterling and trainer Matt Serra should be able to come up with a better game plan in front of their fighter to take the path of least resistance and grab the title.

CHOICE: Dvalishvili ML (+118, Caesars)

Alexa Grasso (-140) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (+118)

The armor of a once dominant champion has been showing cracks for years, and revenge finally came when she lost to Alexa Grosso as a -600 favorite in 2023.

Shevchenko then fought a rematch for the bantamweight title against Grosso, which ended in a draw.

It is clear that Shevchenko has lost some of her physical strength. She used to be unbeatable standing up and her last few fights have frankly shown weaknesses in her defense.

Shevchenko will have to fight hard for the win after spending a lot of time at the checkpoint in the first two fights of this trilogy.

Nevertheless, it is difficult to imagine that this fight will lead to any outcome other than a decision.

Grosso and Shevchenko know each other better than anyone, having fought two long battles against each other in recent years.

CHOOSE: The fight goes the full distance (-188, Fanatics)

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UFC 306: Full card selection (main card in bold)

• Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: Dvalishvili ML (+118, Caesars)
• Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko: Fight goes the distance (-188, Fanatics)
• Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes: Lopes by KO/TKO (+310, FanDuel)
• Daniel Zellhuber vs Esteban Ribovics: Zellhuber Moneyline (-225, Bet365):
• Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne: The fight goes the full distance (+140, Caesars)
• Irene Aldana vs. Norma Dumont: Aldana by decision (+140, FanDuel)
• Manuel Torres vs. Ignacio Bahamondes: Bahamondes by decision (+600, BetMGM)
• Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza: Pass
• Edgar Chairez vs. Joshua Van: Chairez by submission (+900, ESPN BET)
• Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aoriqileng: Rosas by submission (-150, BetRivers)